Millennium Mambo 4K Restoration

2 May 2025

In the Playhouse

Cinema

Taiwan, France | 2001 | Mandarin | Drama | MA15+

A stylish and seductive submersion into the techno-scored neon nightlife of Taipei, Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s Palme d'Or-nominated cult classic stars Shu Qi as an aimless bar hostess drifting away from her slacker boyfriend and towards Jack Kao’s suave, sensitive gangster. A transfixing trance-out of a movie, drenched in club lights, ecstatic endorphin-rush exhilaration, and a nagging undercurrent of weightlessness.

Astonishingly beautiful.

The New York Times

Useful information:

Hsiao-Hsien Hou’s dreamlike, neon-filled film newly restored in 4K

In the future of 2011, Vicky recalls her romances that unfolded a decade ago among the techno-scored neon nightlife of Taipei. Back in 2001, Vicky is a free spirit and party girl working as a hostess at a bar who begins to drift away from her DJ boyfriend towards a suave, sensitive gangster.

Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s follow up to the widely acclaimed Flowers of Shanghai captures the sheer weightlessness, inertia, and amnesia of life in contemporary Taipei.  With magnificent cinematography from Mark Lee Ping-bing (In The Mood For Love), the hypnotic narrative focuses on Vicky as she floats into the new millennium seemingly unfettered by work, love, or family.

Millennium Mambo was nominated for Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival; one of six times across his career that Hou’s work has received the accolade. In 2015, Hou won the Best Director award at the Cannes for The Assassin, a breathtaking wuxia delight which reunited him with Millennium Mambo star, Shu Qi.

Sydney Opera House and Taiwan Film Festival in Australia Presents

Credits

Hsiao-Hsien Hou
Director

T’ien-wen Chu
Writer

Cast

Shu Qi
as Vicky

Jack Kao
as Jack

Chun-hao Tuan
as Hao-Hao

Plan your visit

You may also like

10 Things I Hate About You

5 Sep 2025

United States | 1999 | English | Romantic Comedy | PG A love letter to Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, this late 90s classic comedy pitches the bad-boy swagger of Heath Ledger against the smart-ass glare of Julia Stiles in a twisted rom-com for any generation. “I hate the way I don’t hate you… not even close, not even a little bit…”

  • Cinema

Kiki’s Delivery Service

7 Sep 2025

Japanese | 1989 | English (Dubbed) | Family/Fantasy | G Young witch Kiki, with her talking cat Jiji by her side, opens a flying courier service; and is soon confronted by her own doubt and fears on the path to independence and friendship. It is tradition for all young witches to leave their families on the night of a full moon to learn their craft. That night comes for Kiki (Kirsten Dunst), who follows her dream and embarks on the experience of a lifetime.

  • Cinema
  • Kids & Families

Pavements

7 Sep 2025

United States | 2024 | English | Music Documentary An examination of the iconic indie band, Pavements is a prismatic, narrative, documentary, musical, metatextual hybrid, showing the band preparing for their reunion tour while simultaneously preparing for a musical based on their songs, a museum of their history and a big-budget Hollywood biopic, starring Joe Keery and Jason Schwartzman.

  • Cinema
  • Contemporary Music

Checking availability